Betty's boy can make a winning return to the scene of his greatest triumph in the Old Year Chase at Cheltenham today. Kim Bailey's charge caused something of a shock when winning the William Hill National Hunt Handicap Chase in March, beating Island Chief by five lengths at odds of 25 to 1.
However, he showed that performance was no fluke when chasing home Eulogy in the Whitbread Gold Cup the following month, beaten three and a half lengths.
The 10-year-old was nibbled at in the ante-post markets prior to making his seasonal debut in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury in November. Although he failed to trouble the judge, he still ran with credit to finish sixth behind Ever Blessed.
Dropped in class in this Showcase Handicap, Betty's Boy can underline his Grand National credentials with success here.
Deano's Beeno found Anzum too hot too handle at Ascot last time but can bounce back to winning form in the Unicoin Homes Spa Hurdle.
Martin Pipe's charge was beaten 17 lengths by the Stayers' Hurdle winner in the Cantor Fitzgerald Long Walk Hurdle earlier this month having previously scored in impressive fashion at Newbury on Hennessy day. He meets nothing of Anzum's class here and can give weight and a beating to his rivals.
A small but select field line up for the Challow Hurdle with Bindaree taken to extend his winning sequence to four.
Trained locally by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the gelding scored facile victories at Carlisle and Chepstow earlier this season before grinding his rivals down here over an extended three miles. The five-year-old drops down in trip by three furlongs in this Grade One contest but his stamina can see him prevail over Rodock.
Fontwell stages the £20,000 Victor Chandler Sussex National in which Nethertara can run well at a big price.
A prolific winner of point-to-points, the 12-year-old mare gained a belated first victory under Rules when defeating the well-regarded Arctic Camper at Folkestone earlier in the month. She looks potentially well-handicapped and can take this prize for trainer Gardie Grissell.
An inspection is scheduled at 7.0 this morning to determine whether Catterick's meeting could go ahead. Clerk of the course John Gundill said yesterday that the course was still frozen in parts and was not raceable but it had eased since Wednesday "and it is now raining so we have to give it every chance".
Cenkos's form figures this season are far from convincing, but he enjoyed a confidence-boosting success in the Little John Chase at Southwell yesterday and he can now go on and cope with stronger opposition.
He had won one of his previous four runs this term, and had failed to complete in the rest but he jumped much better this time and the two miles suited him.
Trainer Oliver Sherwood said: "He did not get the trip (two miles, five furlongs) at Cheltenham last time and fell because he was tired.
"Even though he has won at Plumpton and Southwell you could take him anywhere and if anything, he needs a stiffer track. And the softer the ground the better."
